Device for secretly observing visual intelligence

ABSTRACT

A device for secretly observing visual intelligence. The device comprises a louvered arrangement of transparent and opaque zones extending in alternate succession, the opaque zones acting to permit observation from one direction along one surface of the louvered arrangement, through the transparent zones, of visual intelligence positioned along an opposite surface of the louvered arrangement, yet prevent observation of said visual intelligence from a counter-direction along said one surface.

Braunnt Ang.7, 1973 DEVECE FOR SECRETLY @lBSEWl/IING VllSlUAlLINTELLIGENCE [76] Inventor: Harold W. llraunhut, c/o Honey ToyIndustries, Inc., 200 Fifth Ave., New York, NY. 10010 [22] Filed: Nov.1, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 194,422

[52] U.S. Cl. 411/137, 272/8 D [51] llnt. Cl. G09t 19/114 [58] Field ofSearch 40/137, l06.5l,'l06.52; 272/8 D, 8 P

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,524,789 8/1970 Olsen 161/63,653,138 4/1972 Cooper 40/28 C UX 2,998,667 9/1961 Darnell et al.40/132 R Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Eqc qmingr-Johnfi.Pitrelli Att0rney-Abraham Friedman and Abraham Goodman [57] ABSTRACT Adevice for secretly observing visual intelligence. The device comprisesa louvered arrangement of transpan ent and opaque zones extending inalternate succession, the opaque zones acting to permit observation fromone direction along one surface of the louvered arrangement, through thetransparent zones, of visual intelligence positioned along an oppositesurface of the louvered arrangement, yet prevent observation of saidvisual intelligence from a counter-direction along said one surface.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing; Figures PAIENTEUAUB H915 3-.750.316

SHEET 2 BF 2 DEVICE FOR SECIRIE'ILY OESIEIRVING VISUAL INTELLIGENCEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally todevices which permit simulation of mind-reading, and more particularlyto a device for secret observing visual intelligence.

The art of mind-reading generally employs various methods and devicesfor predetermining or accumulating information from a subject so as to,thereafter, inform the subject of the information, in a mannersimulating mind-reading, without the subject having been aware that theinformation had first been taken from him. For example, the informationmay have first been obtained through interviews, or the like, in whichthe subject was not told of the reason for imparting such information,or the subject may have first recorded written information upon a papersuperposed upon a pad, or the like, the pad simultaneously being formedwith imprints or impressions of the recorded written information. Otherdevices such as a hidden or concealed mirror for secretly viewingintelligence possessed by the subject are often utilized likewise. Or,by employing subtleties such as the use of fingemail-writers or scribes,one may secretly write the correct information after it has been givenunder the pretence thatit was duplicated beforehand; or, the forcing ofpredetermined information such as a page number in a book or a certainplaying card seemingly chosen at random, and the practice of switchingor exchanging the paper or material containing the information for alike or substitute article which would appear to be the original,enables the mind-reader to obtain the secret information supposedly inthe possession of his subject. Clearly, these devices or methods ofobtaining or predetermining information from a subject so as to permit asimulation of mind-reading or a display of what is commonly known asExtra-Sensory-Perception, are often less than most reliable since, infact, most of the methods commonly used, have been exposed from time totime by investigators who have published or otherwise revealed themethods used, and many subjects are either aware or suspicious of themanner by which the information was obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide a device for secretly observing visual intelligenceremaining in the possession of the subject while under constant scrutinyat all times to obviate the use of any auxiliary or trickster devices orploys for relaying the intelligence, the latter appearing concealed andremaining in the possession of the subject at all times.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a'device forsecretly observingvisual intelligence which, when examined by a subject,will impart an appearance of complete opacity, yet which is at leastpartially transparent for permitting the observation of recordedinformation in a preferred direction, which information is concealed ina counter-direction insofar as the subject is concerned.

. To this end, the present invention generally relates to a device forsecretly observing visual intelligence comprising a louvered arrangementof transparent and opaque zones extending in alternate succession, theopaque zones acting to permit observation from one direction along onesurface of the louvered arrangement, through the transparent zones, ofvisual intelligence positioned along an opposite surface of the louveredarrangement, yet prevent observation of said visual intelligence from acounter-direction along said one surface. An opaque sheet extends insuperposed relation with the louvered arrangement and is operativelyassociated with the latter for permitting interpositioning between thelouvered arrangement and the opaque sheet of the visual intelligencesuch that the latter is observable from said one direction. Morever, theopaque sheet acts to impart to the transparent zones an appearance ofopacity when the visual intelligence is absent between the louveredarrangement and the opaque sheet and, thereby, conceal the transparentnature of the transparent zone universally from all directions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With the above and additional objectsand advantages in view as will hereinafter appear, this inventioncomprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of apreferred embodiment in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view illustrating the operative principal of thepresent invention, wherein written in formation is visible to anobserver looking in one direction;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. I, wherein the writteninformation is concealed from an observer looking at the arrangement ina direction generally counter to that of the direction of observation inFIG.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodimentpursuant to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the operativeassociation of each of the elements of the present invention with oneanother.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, theprincipal of the present invention is most clearly evident in FIGS. Iand 2. In this respect, there is provided a sheet 10 constituted ofpaper, plastic or any other suitable substance upon which may beimprinted written information such as the word patent or other visualintelligence. Overlying the sheet III is a composite unit I2, commonlyknown as Light Control Film, manufactured by the 3M Company, formed withan upper transparent sheet M, a lower transparent sheet 16 and alouvered array 118 of both transparent and opaque zones interposedbetween the sheets M and 16 respectively. The louvered array 11% oftransparent and opaque zones is constituted generally of a plurality oflongitudinally extending opaque elements 19, which elements 19 arecommonly inclined laterally relative to the upper and lower sheets M and16, respectively, at an angle of substantially 30, the composite unit112 being constituted, at least in part, preferably of cellulose acetatebutyrate, although polycarbonate or other suitable substance may be usedlikewise. The opaque elements 19 may be provided in the composite unitI2 by forming closely spaced inclined slits in the portion denoted bythe reference character m, such as by etching, engraving or othersuitable means, and thereafter filling the slits with an opaque pigment.

The basic principal of the present invention rests upon the relationshipof the composite unit 12 with that of a sheet upon which is providedvisual intelligence In this respect, when the composite unit 12 isplaced in overlying superposed relation with that of the sheet 10, thevisual intelligence provided on the sheet 10 will be secretly observableor visible in one direction such as that of the EYE" or an observer, inFIG. 1, observing the arrangement along the direction of arrow A, andunobservable or concealed relative to the EYE" of an observer looking atthe arrangement in a generally counter-direction such as that of arrow Bin FIG. 2. The concealed nature of the word patent is evident in FIG. 2,as emphasized illustratively by the fact that the end portion of theletter T and the end portion 22 of the letter P are partially exposed,whereas the remainder of the aforesaid letters, and those letters A, T,E and N, are all concealed when the sheet 10 is observed in thedirection of arrow B in FIG. 2.

The basis for the capacity of observing visual intelligence in onedirection and the incapacity for observing visual intelligence in acounter-direction rests in the relationship of the opaque elements 19which extend or define a louvered array defined by the referencecharacter l8 and spaced from one another through the intermediary oftransparent zones defined by transparent cellulose acetate butyrate.Therefore, the angle of inclination of the louvered opaque elements 19determines the direction along which observation of the visualintelligence, provided on the sheet 10, is permissible.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the present invention may be practicedin the form of a preferred embodiment 24 and denoted by the bracket X inFIG. 4. In this respect, the preferred embodiment includes a top coverunit 26, denoted by the bracket Y in FIG. 4, and a bottom cover unit 28,denoted by the bracket Z in FIG. 4, the bottom cover unit 28 terminatingin a closure flap 29 which may be superposed into overlying relationwith the top cover unit 26 and connected thereto by suitable means (notshown) in a manner generally illustrated in FIG. 3. As is most evidentin FIG. 4, the top cover unit 26 is a composite unit and includes anouter transparent sheet 30, a louvered array 32 of both transparent andopaque members and an inner transparent sheet 34 all interconnected to,or associated with, one another in a manner discussed above for thecomposite unit 12.

The bottom cover unit 28, constituted preferably of plastic, on theother hand, is provided with an outer transparent sheet 36, an opaquesheet 38 and an inner transparent sheet 40, all interconnected to oneanother as a composite unit by suitable means.

In operation, the present invention may be utilized by releasing theclosure flap 29 from the top cover unit 26 and elevating the top coverunit 26 relative to the bottom cover unit 28 in a general pivotalmanner, the top cover unit 26 and bottom cover unit 28 being generallyhingedly associated with one another along the edge 42 illustrated inFIG. 3. Thereafter, a sheet such as sheet 10, upon which is providedappropriate visual intelligence, may be inserted or interposed betweenthe top and bottom cover units 26 and 28 respectively such that thevisual intelligence faces upwardly or contacts the inner transparentsheet 34 of the top cover unit 26. Thus, the visual intelligence may beobservable in a direction along arrow C in FIG. 3 and unobservable in adirection along arrow D in the latter FIGURE.

As those skilled in the art will readily understand, the preferredembodiment 24 may be utilized for permitting simulation of mind-readingin a very simple and effective manner. In this respect, in order toperform a simulation of mind-reading or simulated display ofExtra-Sensory-Perception, a subject is chosen who is unaware of theinherent features of the association of the various components, with oneanother, of the preferred embodiment 24. In order to properly execute adisplay of thought detection, the first step must be to permit thesubject to examine the embodiment 24 prior to insertion of a sheet uponwhich is provided visual intelligence as aforementioned. In thisrespect, when the subject examines or inspects the embodiment 24,whether the subject holds the embodiment up to the light, or in anyorientation, notwithstanding the extent of scrutiny utilized by thesubject upon his examination of the embodiment 24, the entire embodimentappears to be of completely opaque nature.

The reason for the completely opaque nature imparted to the embodiment24 is the fact that although there are transparent louvered zones, whichare alternately spaced from one another successively, the opacity of theopaque sheet 38, in the bottom cover unit 28, when in superposedrelation with that of the top cover unit 26, will completely disguiseand conceal the transparent nature of each of the transparent zonesuniversally from all directions.

Therefore, upon a completed examination of the embodiment 24, anexamination, which of necessity, must exclude an opening of the topcover unit 26 relative to the bottom cover unit 28, the execution of thesimulated mind-reading may proceed.

Clearly, as those skilled in the art will readily understand, should thesubject upon elevating the top cover unit 26, relative to the bottomcover unit 28 and, thereby, displace the units 26 and 28 respectivelyout of superposed relation with one another, the opacity of the opaquesheet 38 cannot be imparted to the transparent zones of the louveredarray 32 extending in the top cover unit 26. Thus, the subject wouldimmediately become aware of the operative principal of the invntion. Thesubject should, therefore, not be permitted to open the closure flap 29during inspection of the device.

The simulated display proceeds by having the subject write informationof alphabetical, numerical, symbolic or other intelligence of visualnature on a sheet such as sheet 10 and insert the sheet so that therecorded information is exposed to or contacts the top cover unit 26.Moreover, the subject must be persuaded not to disturb the generalpredetermined alignment of the embodiment 24 as it is predisposedopposite the subject in a preferred direction so that the recordedinformation is secretly observable only in direction C, the direction ofwhich is illustrated in FIG. 3, by the person performing the simulatedmind-reading, and unobservable in the direction of arrow D, in FIG. 3,by the subject.

Thus, the subject is totally unaware that the information recorded onthe sheet 10, and interposed between the top and bottom cover units 26and 28 respectively, is secretly observable by the person performing thesimulated mind-reading, this because the subject can only observeopacity of the arrangement in a direction along arrow D, illustrated inFIG. 3. The subject, therefore, relies upon his earlier examination ofthe embodiment 24, during which he was convinced that the top and bottomcover units 26 and 28, respectively, are of completely opaque nature.

The person performing the simulated mind-reading upon observing therecorded information, will then proceed to turn away from the subjectand pretend that he is in deep concentration and, thereafter, record theinformation on a suitable surface.

The subject is then told to remove the sheet 10 from the embodiment 24and, thereafter, close the closure flap 29 so that the top and bottomcover units 26 and 28 respectively are again in superposed relation. Thesubject is then exposed to the information duplicated by the personperforming the simulation of mind reading and is surprised at the exactduplication of the information recorded on the sheet 10. The subject mayagain, thereafter, wish to examine the embodiment 24, however, becauseof the superposed relationship of the top and bottom cover units 26 and2%, respectively, with one another, and the absence of the sheet lltltherebetween the opacity of the opaque sheet 3% is again imparted to thetransparent zones of the louvered array 32 and this again competelyconceals the transparent nature of these transparent zones, the entireembodiment 24 appearing to be opaque from all directions universally.

In order to ensure that the features of the embodiment 24 are mostreliably maintained in secrecy, at least insofar as the subject uponwhom the display of mind-reading is being effected is concerned, theopaque elements 19 of the louvered array 32 and the opaque sheet 38should be generally of identical color, including black. Moreover, itshould be understood that the reason for interpositioning the opaquesheet 3% between the sheets 36 and 40 respectively is to impart to thebottom cover unit 28 a thickness which is generally identical to that ofthe top cover unit 26, so that inspection by the subject will not resultin ostensible distinctions between the cover units 26 and 28respectively and, thereby, make the subject suspicious.

It has also been determined that the opaque sheet 410 in FIG. 4 may bereplaced by a sheet identical to that of the louvered array 32, theinclination of the opaque louvers of the array 32 being reversed fromthe louvers in that sheet substituted for sheet Ml and offset relativeto the latter such that the opaque zones of one sheet overlie thetransparent zones of the other. Because of the reversed arrangement oflouvers, both sheets when superposed will impart to the other anappearance of opacity, yet will respectively permit observation ofvisual intelligence therebetween along their respective exposedsurfaces, each in the same and one direction.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understoodthat the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of theinvention which is for purposes of illustration only and is not to beconstrued as a limitation of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for secretly observing visual intelligence; said devicecomprising observing means including a louvered array of transparent andopaque zones extending in alternate succession; said opaque zonesincluding a plurality of spaced opaque elements extend inglongitudinally parallel to one another; each of said opaque elementsincluding a surface inclined relative to an outer surface of saidobserving means to permit observation from one direction along saidouter surface, through said transparent zones, of visual intelligencepositioned along an opposite inner surface of said observing means andto prevent observation of said visual intelligence from acounter-direction along said outer surface; a sheet associated with saidobserving means; spacing means positioning said observing means and saidsheet in superposed relation with said sheet confronting said innersurface of said observing means for defining a space between saidobserving means and said sheet for insertion of said visual intelligencetherebetween, said sheet including opaque means of generally identicalcolor as that of said opaque elements to impart to said transparentzones an appearance of opacity when said visual intelligence is absentbetween said observing means and said sheet and thereby concealingtransparent nature of said transparent zones universally in alldirections.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said observing and opaquemeans each includes a sheet of plastic derivation.

3. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said transparent zonesinclude transparent cellulose acetate butyrate interconnecting saidopaque elements in fixed relation with one another.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said observing means includesa pair of opposing transparent sheets between which is interposed saidtransparent cellulose acetate butyrate.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said opaque elements areinclined relative to said pair of opposing sheets at an angle ofsubstantially 30.

6. A device as claimed in claim ll wherein said observing means and saidsheet are generally hingedly associated with one another into and out ofsuperposed relation.

'7. A device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said sheet includes a pairof transparent sheets between which is fixedly interposed said opaquemeans.

l 3 t *k

1. A device for secretly observing visual intelligence; said devicecomprising observing means including a louvered array of transparent andopaque zones extending in alternate succession; said opaque zonesincluding a plurality of spaced opaque elements extending longitudinallyparallel to one another; each of said opaque elements including asurface inclined relative to an outer surface of said observing means topermit observation from one direction along said outer surface, throughsaid transparent zones, of visual intelligence positioned along anopposite inner surface of said observing means and to preventobservation of said visual intelligence from a counter-direction alongsaid outer surface; a sheet associated with said observing means;spacing means positioning said observing means and said sheet insuperposed relation with said sheet confronting said inner surface ofsaid observing means for defining a space between said observing meansand said sheet for insertion of said visual intelligence therebetween,said sheet including opaque means of generally identical color as thatof said opaque elements to impart to said transparent zones anappearance of opacity when said visual intelligence is absent betweensaid observing means and said sheet and thereby concealing transparentnature of said transparent zones universally in all directions.
 2. Adevice as claimed in claim 1 wherein said observing and opaque meanseach includes a sheet of plastic derivation.
 3. A device as claimed inclaim 14 wherein said transparent zones include transparent celluloseacetate butyrate interconnecting said opaque elements in fixed relationwith one another.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein saidobserving means includes a pair of opposing transparent sheets betweenwhich is interposed said transparent cellulose acetate butyrate.
 5. Adevice as claimed in claim 4 wherein said opaque elements are inclinedrelative to said pair of opposing sheets at an angle of substantially30*.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said observing means andsaid sheet are generally hingedly associated with one another into andout of superposed relation.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid sheet includes a pair of transparent sheets between which isfIxedly interposed said opaque means.